NALU WEEK PROMPTS 2017
by ShanaHollows
Summary: A collection of one-shots, prompted by the 2017 challenge. 1. Nostalgia 2. Tarot 3. Flaws 4. Body Language 5. Mask 6. Tattoo 7. Intertwined **Rated M to be safe. Some of these will be set the Angel of Oops universe, the rest are pure imagination!
1. Nostalgia

_**NALU WEEK PROMPT #1 – NOSTALGIA**_

 _ **This story takes place in the Angel of Oops universe.**_

Lucy relaxed into her pillow, exhausted, as Natsu held both her hands, tears running shamelessly down his face. Tiny cries filled the air, nearly stopping both Natsu and Lucy's hearts as they strained to get their first glimpses. The doctor emerged from behind the blanket covering Lucy's legs, nurses immediately rushing in to take the baby from his arms to get cleaned off.

"It's a girl," the doctor told him, "And she's perfect."

"You don't have to tell _me_ that!" Natsu exclaimed, gawking at the new little life, squirming on the table as nurses cleaned her, "Luce...she's beyond perfect..."

A moment later, one of the nurses presented the swaddled baby to Natsu. Fresh tears exploded from his eyes as he cradled her for the first time, gently lowering her to Lucy's face so that she could see too.

Beside Lucy and Natsu, two other sets of eyes strained to get a look at the sweet child as well from the _shadows_ of the room. Layla Heartfilia held on to the woman next to her, both of them dissolving into tears…both of them remembering.

Layla could see the scene in her mind's eyes as though it were yesterday. Jude did not come into the room with her, but waited for the new baby to be completely cleaned up and for Layla to be properly dressed first. Nonetheless, the new child's sweet face already had Layla falling in love with her. Her eyes were wide open, staring at her mother as she went from crying to just looking around in wonder. She longed for that moment…that moment when she could touch Lucy and have Lucy return the gaze, knowing that nobody in the world could possibly love her as much as she did.

Beside her, the black-haired woman had tears running down her cheeks as well, regarding her son with his wife and new baby. Pangs of regret flooded through her. She had died too soon…she had missed so much.

"He's so handsome," the dark-haired woman whispered, "And your daughter…she's beautiful – they're so in love."

"I didn't want you to miss this," Layla told her, squeezing her hand, "I hope you don't mind that I woke you from your slumber in the stars."

The dark-haired woman shook her head, memories of the tiny pink-haired baby being nestled in her arms. It seemed like hundreds of years ago. It _was_ hundreds of years ago.

"No," she whispered, "It makes me so happy."

They turned their attention back to the young couple in front of them, gently holding each other and their new baby.

"What should we call her?" Lucy asked, kissing her new daughter on her forehead.

Natsu closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, "I know we discussed a lot of names, Luce. But there's one that I haven't brought up to you that I hope you'll consider."

"What is it?" she asked, tilting her head toward him.

"Aki," Natsu said softly, "It was my mother's name. Aki Dragneel."

Lucy nodded immediately, tears coming to her eyes, "That's it, Natsu – that's our baby's name."

"Thank you," Natsu whispered, remembering the kind face of his mother as she ran with him in a field, laughing gleefully, "That means a lot to me."

Layla hugged her companion, gently coaxing her toward the waiting door that would return them to Heaven.

Mrs. Aki Brielle Dragneel took one last look at her beloved son, thankful for the happy life he was leading.

"Thank you," she whispered to both Natsu and Lucy, knowing they couldn't hear her, but praying they could feel her presence in some small way, "It means a lot to me too."

She blew him a kiss, hugging Layla tightly.

"I'm ready now," she said softly.

Layla nodded, then lead her dear friend through the suspended door back to her place in the stars.

* * *

 _ **WELCOME TO NALU WEEK! AS PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED, I WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN A 21 ONE-SHOT CHALLENGE ISSUED BY MY DEAR FRIEND, QUITE-A-RIOT! I'LL POST IN 3 SEPARATE STORY COVERS: 2016 PROMPTS, 2017 PROMPTS, AND THEN A SET I'VE COME UP WITH ON MY OWN...EXCEPT BUCK-A-SUCK, WHICH WILL BE POSTED BY ITSELF. ENJOY!**_


	2. The Tarot Reader

**_NALU WEEK PROMPT #2 – TAROT_**

 ** _You guys are going to love this one - it's STILL making me laugh :D_**

 ** _Thanks for all the comments, likes and reviews yesterday - lots more fun to come! Don't forget to check out Quite-A-Riot and WordsAreMySpells1331's stories! Nalu weeks are so fun!_**

 ** _~Shana~_**

* * *

Her excitement (and perhaps a little bit of adrenaline from what had just happened) could barely be contained as Lucy scanned the Fairy Tail grounds. It was good that her shift was over at that exact second… she'd have to take care to avoid Gajeel for the rest of the night since he was likely to hold a grudge.

He'd sat on the bench above the ice-cold water for about 40 minutes, mocking the villagers that failed to dunk him. On impulse, Lucy paid for the privilege of knocking him down a peg or two. She star-dressed as Sagittarius, using the precision aim to make the shot. The crowd erupted in cheers, making Lucy grin. The expression on his face had been _priceless_ , but he'd made it very clear he would return the favour if given the chance. Thankfully, his shift wasn't over for another hour. If she could avoid him tonight, he would likely forget by the morning.

The Fairy Tail Carnival was in full swing. Magnolia loved the yearly event. Now that Lucy's shift was over, she had some time to play a bit before her next shift at the bakery counter. She glanced around at the different booths, trying to decide what she wanted to do first.

Juvia water-locked a group of children, raising them up into the air, then popping the water lock overtop of an air-filled bouncy pillow. The children squealed with laughter. Juvia was all-smiles. In the area next to hers, Gray had set up a skating rink. This attraction was popular too since it was mid-summer and the break from the heat was satisfying. On the other side of the ice-rink, Mira had a booth full of clothing for people to try on. She took pictures of the dressed-up people when they were finished, showing them how to model their new look. Wakaba and Macao had a balloon-pop-for-the-prize booth. Elfman ran the Sledge Hammer Strength Test booth. Beside Elfman, Levy, Jet and Droy ran a rubber ducky race.

Lucy's eyes settled on the Tarot Booth. She smiled. Cana had been very busy lately and she hadn't sat down with her in some time. If her money could go toward the benefit of the evening – Magnolia's Orphanage – then she would gladly pay for Cana's services tonight.

She waved to the other guild members as she approached the darkened hut made out of blankets. She was a little surprised that there was no line-up.

"Cana?" she called, as she pulled the door blanket aside.

"Come in, my child!" a high, ear-piercing voice called out, "Cana is out having a break, but I will be happy to tell you your fortune."

Lucy frowned, peering around the corner of the next blanket. The woman sat cross-legged on a quilt on the floor, a crystal ball and a deck of Tarot cards on top of a small table in the centre of the room. Her face was veiled with a sheer pink lace, her hair covered by a black shawl. She wore a halter top with humongous breasts. Trinkets adorned both wrists. Her arms...were a little hairy. She looked up at Lucy through long eyelashes. Lucy couldn't tell if she was smiling or not as she beckoned Lucy inside.

"My name is Natsulia!" the woman crooned as Lucy lowered herself to the blanket.

"Only guild people are running the carnival," Lucy dead-panned.

"I'm a cousin!" Natsulia interjected, "Of Kinana's. From Onibus."

Lucy raised an eyebrow. Natsulia coughed, moving on to the subject at hand. There was only one person on Earthland that had the same gleam in Natsulia's eyes as far as she was concerned…

"What can I do for you, my dear? What does your heart want to know about your future?" Natsulia rolled her hands over the crystal ball, accidentally knocking it over with one hand. Her eyes bulged from her head as she quickly put it back in an upright position.

Lucy stifled a giggle, "How long is Cana gone for?"

"She will return," Natsulia promised, "But in the meantime…will you let me tell you your fortune?"

Lucy paused, glancing into Natsulia's onyx eyes. They were shaded by the eyelashes. If he thought he was fooling her, he had another think coming. Every fibre of her being wanted to pull the veil off. Of course, it could be fun to see what Natsulia had to say too.

"Okay," Lucy agreed finally.

"Loveeeeeely!" Natsulia's high-pitched voice squealed, "What's your pleasure? Tarot? Crystal-ball?"

"Let's do Tarot," Lucy decided.

Natsulia grabbed the deck beside her, shuffling it on the small table, "And what would you like to know about? Money? Your fate? How a loved one is doing in the next life?"

Lucy shook her head, her eyes glinting with mischief, "No…I think I'd like to know if there's true love out there for me. Will I meet a man? Maybe several?"

Natsulia choked, an undignified hacking sound. She smacked her own fist into her chest to help herself to stop coughing. It was surprisingly a much deeper cough than her normal high voice. Lucy nearly keeled over laughing as one of her boobs flailed off to the left.

Natsulia grabbed her breast, putting it back into place before holding her cards above her head. She paused, looking Lucy up and down.

"Are you sure you want to know about that?" Natsulia asked, "Once you know, you can never _un-know."_

Lucy nodded emphatically, "Please enlighten me."

"Very well then. Remember if you don't hear what you want to hear, the spirits have spoken…ain't my fault."

Lucy sat up straight, nodding her approval for the reading to start.

"Ooooooh, great spirits! Hear my call! Lucy wants to know if she'll ever have a boyfriend!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, leaning over the table as Natsulia prepared to lay the cards.

"BEHOLD!" Natsulia bellowed, causing Lucy to fall backward, "A Star Tarot! This card tells me that you _do_ have a great love in your future! An epic love! One that holds a very promising future! You will shine only for each other and build an incredible future together!"

"So…one lover or lots?" Lucy asked.

"JUST ONE!" Nastulia practically shouted at her. She got ahold of her, calming down, then lifted the next card, "Let's ask the cards, shall we? Does Lucy have one love or many?"

She placed the card down, feigning amazement.

"It's a Two of Cups!" Natsulia announced, "One love, Lucy…just the one. _Only_ one."

Lucy hummed, crooking her head to the side, "Okay…so one love…is it a man or a woman?"

Once again Natsulia started choking and thwacking herself in the chest.

"Are you…okay?" Lucy asked slowly.

"YES!" Nastulia's voice shrieked, "Just fine! All good here!"

She took another minute to clear her throat, sprayed some hand sanitizer over her hands, then returned to the deck.

She flipped the card – a card Lucy didn't even get to see before Natsulia shoved it underneath the other cards and announced, "A man. It's a man. Definitely a man – big, hulky, manly man…and incredibly handsome, I might add – next question!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes, challenging her, "Okay…when will I meet him?"

Natsulia closed her eyes, shuffling the deck, then pulled a card dramatically.

"The Lovers Card!" she announced emphatically, "Your lover is a person you already know! He shares your values. He will always fight for you…and he will be your very best friend in the most trying times!"

She put 10,000 jewels down on the table, then stood up.

"That's only four cards," Natsulia told her, her high voice full of confusion, "Don't you want to see the fifth?"

"Oh! Sure!" Lucy exclaimed, resuming her position on the carpet, "What about the sex? Can best friends have mind-blowing sex? I want _orgasms…_ ones that I'll feel for days! That's important, you know."

What Lucy could see of Natsulia's face went completely pale.

"Definitely," Natsulia told her after a long minute, "It will be the kind of sex that the neighbours will complain about nonstop."

Lucy grinned, hoping the shadow of the tent would hide her blushing face, "Then I'll look forward to it. Can't _wait_ to meet him. Well, thanks!"

Lucy flashed Natsulia her sexiest smile, "I'm going back to the carnival. Maybe I can find him tonight! I'm going to go to the food area. I have an inkling I could run into him there."

She paused on her way to the blanketed door, glancing back at Natsulia, "Oh – and Natsulia? Your boob is out of place again."

She laughed as she exited the tent.

Natsulia sat still for a good minute before gathering the cards together. She separated them into piles – fives piles of each card, then reached for the other decks behind her to return them to full decks. Cana would be mad at her if she didn't put the decks back together properly.

"Did she buy it?" Happy asked, poking his head out from the back of the blanket tent.

Natsu removed his veil. He reached inside the bra, removing the cantaloupes that had served as his breasts for Lucy's visit.

"Totally," his voice shrilled. He coughed, hoping the spell would wear off soon. The voice was annoying, even to him, "She didn't suspect a thing."

"I'm back!" Cana announced, poking her head through the door.

"Thanks Cana! I had fun!" Natsu told her, zipping out of the tent before Cana could call him back.

"Where are we going now?" Happy asked him.

Natsu cocked his head, a small smile spreading across his lips, "I'm hungry, Happy. Let's go get some food."


	3. Flaws

_**NALU WEEK PROMPT # 3 – FLAWS**_

 **BONUS PROMPTS ARE GOING TO BE FOUND IN THE RANDOM PROMPT SECTION**

 **DAY 1:** Nostalgia A new baby arrives into the world, promptly sweet memories  
 **DAY 2:** Tarot It's Carnival Night at Fairy Tail…Lucy stops at the Tarot hut for a very special reading.  
 **DAY 3:** Flaws - Lucy's a little annoyed…until Mira gives her a pep talk  
 **DAY 4:** Body Language When Lucy loses her voice, she needs to find another way to get her point across.  
 **DAY 5:** Mask The soldiers had him cornered…until a beautiful woman in a mask showed up  
 **DAY 6:** Tattoo Angel of Oops 2: The Magnolia Police Department is commemorating the orphanage fire.  
 **DAY 7:** Intertwined Poor Natsu…thank Mavis for Lucy!

 _ **A reminder that Quite-A-Riot and I are in the midst of a challenge to write 21 - that's TWENTY-ONE - one-shots each for Nalu week! I will be posting 3 per day! I have 3 separate Story Covers going - Nalu Week Prompts 2016, Nalu Week Prompts 2017, and Nalu Week Random One-Shots! Be sure to check them all out and let me know what you think! Some of them are pretty funny! Please shout out if you have a request too :D**_

 _ **Bonus Prompts for 2017 Nalu Week will be posted in the Random One-Shots areas (Since I'm kind of not paying attention to dates - Gothic and Wild are SO WORTH READING!)**_

 _ **Also, yesterday, the FanFic page didn't boot my stories to the top of the line like it normally does. If you didn't get to read yesterday's stories, please check them out. I am particularly proud of Tarot - and you won't want to miss Admiration!**_

 _ **Thanks!**_

 _ **~Shana~**_

* * *

"THAT'S IT, ICE-PRICK! YOU ARE _GOING TO DIE!"_ Natsu bellowed. He took a running jump, dog-piling on top of Gray, who was currently in the middle of pummeling Gajeel. Natsu wasn't picky – he could take them both.

Lucy sighed, turning back to her strawberry milkshake, "Guess we'll take a job tomorrow."

Her face fell, reflecting her disappointment. Mira watched her suck listlessly on her milkshake for a moment.

"Low on rent money again, Lucy?" Mira asked. She was drying clean mugs from the dishwasher, placing them on a towel on top of the bar. She continued watching Lucy out of the corner of her eye as the Celestial Mage let out a heaving sigh.

"Not really," Lucy lamented, "Natsu's been making sure to choose good jobs so that I can get a few months ahead."

"Well, are you bored?" Mira questioned.

"Not exactly," Lucy hummed, "We've already been downtown to replace the groceries that Natsu and Happy ate at my place. Then we went fishing at Natsu's secret spot for awhile until Happy decided to go find Carla…I just feel like it's a good day to take a job."

Mira grinned, turning to put her dry mugs on the shelf behind her, "Or maybe you're sad that your Dragon Slayer isn't paying exclusive attention to you anymore."

Lucy's mouth dropped open, "Mira!"

"Oh c'mon!" Mira teased her, smacking the bartop with her towel, "You're always together. So now that he's decided to smack around the boys a bit, you're moping?"

"I'm not moping!" Lucy insisted.

"You're moping!" Mira sing-songed, "You want Natsu to pay attention to _you!"_

Lucy harrumphed, crossing her arms childishly, "You don't know what you're talking about. He's immature…and he eats all the food at my apartment and only replenishes it if I make him…and he's destructive…and he keeps sneaking in my bed and going through my underwear drawer!"

"And what would you do if he suddenly stopped?" Mira asked, turning to face the flustered girl.

Lucy froze, completely unsure of how to react.

"You may think of those as flaws," Mira smiled as she took both Lucy's hands, "But when you look underneath of Natsu's brass exterior, underneath is a man who is loyal…and will do anything for his friends, especially you…and goes out of his way to help others. Maybe you complain out loud to the public eye, but I think deep down, you know your life wouldn't be the same without him. So you're jealous that he's hanging with the boys right now. Don't worry…he'll get bored and he'll be back to you soon."

Mira winked at her, then picked up her pen and pad to go take Romeo and Wendy's order. They'd just sat down at a table _away_ from the brawling idiots.

Slowly, Lucy came back to reality. She glanced over to Natsu, who was dancing on top of a table with Gray's underwear hanging like a flag on top of Max's broomstick. Gajeel was sitting on Gray's back, subduing his attempts to get up.

Levy sat down on the barstool next to her, both of them watching as Juvia flicked a finger. A sudden cloudburst crashed down on Gajeel. He shot up, casting Juvia the evil eye as Gray took the opportunity to resume the brawl to reclaim his underwear.

"They're such _children,_ " Levy commented.

"Yeah," Lucy agreed half-heartedly as Natsu chucked the underwear to Gajeel, who caught it on an iron spear he formed out of one arm. He cackled, tossing it back to Natsu's broom. Gray ran between the two, buck naked, getting angrier by the second. She considered Mira's words.

Maybe she was right…

Lucy flashed a grin at Levy, thankful for her other best friend who would help her pass some time, "So, Lev…what did you do today?"

Levy wasn't paying attention to Lucy. She stared at the spectacle Natsu and Gajeel were making, completely oblivious to the world. It was as though...she really wished Gajeel would pay some attention to her.

"Lev..." Lucy said slowly, squeezing her arm just to make sure she had her attention.

Levy looked away from Gajeel long enough to make eye contact with Lucy, humming a soft, disinterested, "Hmmm?"

"I feel the need to break up that brawl," Lucy stated, "It's the perfect day to go do something fun...and I'm feeling a bit ignored."

"Juvia too!" Juvia whispered as she joined them at the table, "Does Lucy have a plan?"

An impish grin spread across Lucy's face, "Mayyyyybe...but it's flawed."

"Flawed, how?" Levy asked.

"We should get into a brawl!" Lucy announced, her eyes alight, "Guaranteed to catch their attention."

"Juvia does not want to hurt Levy or Lucy!" Juvia exclaimed.

"We don't have to hurt each other," Lucy pointed out, "We can make a show of it."

"Maybe they'll just tired after awhile," Levy said hopefully.

Levy, Lucy and Juvia all glanced over to the still-warring boys. Gray had managed to get his underwear back. Now he and Gajeel were teaming up to try to steal Natsu's.

"That's not happening," all three girls said at once.

"Okay...so how do we do this?" Levy asked.

"Like this," Lucy grinned.

She flicked her strawberry milkshake over, spilling it all the way down Levy's dress.

"What the heck, Lu? This is a new dress!" Levy exclaimed.

"I TOLD you I needed that book back by today!" Lucy said loudly, winking at her friend, "Jeez, Levy! I can't count on you for anything!"

"Levy is probably still reading it!" Juvia stood up, trying to hide the smile on her face, "Lucy needs to calm down!"

"I ripped it," Levy said loudly, "I'm sorry, Lu - it was an accident!"

The three girls glanced around. Nobody was watching their show. Cana was still chugging back her beer keg. Mira was pouring drinks for Wakaba and Macao, who were at the counter. Elfman had entered the brawl, holding a struggling Natsu up by his armpits as Gajeel and Gray grabbed at his shorts.

"We need to step it up a notch," Lucy told the girls.

"Sorry, Lucy," Juvia apologized. She pulled her hands back, slamming Lucy with water gush.

Now they had the guild's attention. Lucy was saturated from head to toe.

" _GET OVER IT!"_ Juvia said loudly, "It was just a book. Levy didn't mean to destroy it!"

"It was my favourite book!" Lucy yelled, star-dressing as Loke, "And you're going to be sorry you did that, Juvia!"

Juvia yelped as Lucy wrapped her leg with her whip, pulling her leg so that Juvia fell to the ground.

"LU!" Levy cried out, quickly scripting W-A-T-E-R above Lucy's head. Lucy got completely doused for the second time that day.

Lucy let out a war cry, toppling the script mage over as she grabbed at her hair, pulling as lightly as she could, but trying to make it look really serious.

"That's it, Lucy!" Juvia declared, "Enough is enough!"

She water-locked both Lucy and Levy, the suspended bubble hanging in the air. Inside the bubble, Levy quickly scripted P-I-N, popping the bubble. An enormous explosion of water blanketed a good portion of the guild. Lucy launched herself onto Juvia, mostly tickling her ribs, but she was pretty sure it looked to the rest of the guild like she meant business. Levy scripted C-H-O-C-O-L-A-T-E P-U-D-D-I-N-G overtop of them, releasing it over the brawling girls as Juvia managed to grab Lucy's top, tearing the top half so that her bra was exposed.

Most of the guild had stopped what they were doing at this point, staring wide-eyed at the brawling women. Lucy had grabbed Levy's ankle, forcing her to the ground - and into the pudding. All three wrestled, throwing the odd punch out. They were all saturated in the chocolate substance.

"What in the hell are they doing?" Cana asked, lowering her beer keg.

"It's kind of hot," Macao stated, receiving a prompt blow to the head from a passing Evergreen.

"They're kicking each other's asses - LIKE A MAN!" Elfman exclaimed.

"Oh my," Mira sighed to Lisanna, "They're making such a huge mess."

Lisanna just giggled.

Wendy's eyes were huge. Juvia, Levy and Lucy were like mentors and sisters to her and she could not comprehend why they would lose control like that.

Lucy was upright again, preparing a light attack while Juvia and Levy still tousled on the ground.

Even Gray, Gajeel and Natsu stared, having halted their brawl to watch the new brawl.

"Should we stop them?" Gajeel asked.

"Lucy's about to finish kicking their asses," Natsu stated, "It'll be over in a second."

Gray scoffed, "Yeah, right. Juvia is getting ready to make her move."

Gajeel simply chuckled as Levy got off the ground.

The three girls stood in a triangle, launching their attacks simultaneously. An enormous explosion rocked the entire guild. And then it was still.

* * *

The guild hall was in shambles. After the enormous blast, most of the tables had been broken and the roof had actually caved a bit. The other guild members had evacuated. Of course, it was at that moment that Master Makarov and Erza returned from their trip to Council.

Now all of them were tasked with cleaning up...the girls because they'd destroyed the guild hall, the boys because once Natsu stated that Lucy was about to finish it, a brand new brawl had broken out.

Erza stood with her arms crossed, overseeing the clean-up. Gajeel and Levy took the east corner and were finally on the mopping stage. They talked in low tones, Gajeel reaching out once in awhile to put his hand on her shoulder or smoother her hair back. Gray and Juvia worked together on the west corner, side-by-side. Natsu and Lucy - both considered the instigators - had been ordered to clean the rest. They would be there for hours.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Natsu asked, thumbing Lucy's black eye gently.

"I'm okay," Lucy confirmed, gently placing her hand overtop of his, "I'm sorry about this."

He shrugged, "Chances are, Gajeel, Gray and I would be here cleaning up anyways."

She smiled, leaning into his hand for a moment before breaking away to continue their work.

"Soooo...I had a little talk with Mira earlier," Natsu mentioned as he swept up a pile of dirt into a dustpan.

She froze, "Oh..."

He put his broom down, coming back beside her. Her eyes were as wide as his grin as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in for a gentle hug...because her body was _definitely_ sore after that brawl.

He placed his forehead on hers, "There are other ways to get my attention, Luce...your plan was really flawed."

She smiled to herself, leaning into his embrace. Flawed as it may have been, she was very satisfied with the end result.


	4. Body Language

_**NALU WEEK PROMPT #4 – BODY LANGUAGE Will be posted at the bottom of the schedule! Below is a complete list of all the stories I'll be publishing for Nalu week! Enjoy!**_

 **NALU WEEK PROMPTS 2016**

 **DAY 1:** Longing Based off Manga Chapter 541. Lucy realizes Natsu's not coming back this time.  
 **DAY 2:** Reunion A thought of how the manga _could_ end  
 **DAY 3:** Admiration AU – Lucy catches a glimpse of something that has her in total awe  
 **DAY 4:** Secrets AU – Lucy's secret has been exposed - literally  
 **DAY 5:** Struggle AU – They're both going to kill Mira…just as soon as they figure out how to escape the closet **DAY 6:** Climax AU – Natsu is only trying to help Lucy…only she doesn't think he's helping at all  
 **DAY 7:** The End Angel of Oops 2 – Natsu and Lucy have something to tell Aki, so Natsu tells her a story

 **NALU WEEK PROMPTS 2017**

 **BONUS PROMPTS (to be posted under random prompts):**

 **DAY 1:** Nostalgia Angel of Oops 2: A new baby arrives into the world, promptly sweet memories  
 **DAY 2:** Tarot It's Carnival Night at Fairy Tail…Lucy stops at the Tarot hut for a very special reading.  
 **DAY 3:** Flaws Lucy's a little annoyed…until Mira gives her a pep talk  
 **DAY 4:** Body Language When Lucy loses her voice, she needs to find another way to get her point across.  
 **DAY 5:** Mask AU - The soldiers had him cornered…until a beautiful woman in a mask showed up  
 **DAY 6:** Tattoo Angel of Oops 2: The Magnolia Police Department is commemorating the orphanage fire.  
 **DAY 7:** Intertwined Angel of Oops 2: Poor Natsu…thank Mavis for Lucy!

 **PROMPTS**

 **RANDOM PROMPTS – CUZ I NEED TO WRITE 21 TO MEET QUITE-A-RIOT'S CHALLENGE!** (seriously – go read her stuff...she will be _famous_ one day)

 **DAY 1:** ELEVATOR WOES Angel of Oops 2 – Aki has a dance rehearsal in Crocus, so the whole family stays in a hotel…with the elevator from Hell!

 **DAY 2:** GOTHIC Au – a dark stranger enters a bar…and sets her sights on _him_

 **DAY 3:** MOMENT At a BBQ with all the families, Lucy has a moment…

 **DAY 4:** VIDEO GAMES Au – A new experience in gaming makes Natsu think…

 **DAY 5:** WILD Lucy is attacked by a band of wild soldiers…and Natsu will stop at nothing to save her…let the battle begin.

 **DAY 6:** INFATUATIONAngel of Oops 1 – Natsu checks in on Lucy as she sleeps

 **DAY 7:** BUCK-A-SUCK Set between Angel of Oops and Angel of Oops 2: It's Natsu's last week as a Bachelor – so the boys from the Cop Shop plan a night he'll never forget! Until he wakes up, that is…

 **DAY 7:** BONUS STORY Admiration Part 2 – contains lemons

 _ **NALU WEEK PROMPT #4 – BODY LANGUAGE**_

"Sorry, Luce…can't understand a word you're saying," Natsu shook his head, watching the blonde who gestured wildly with her hands.

"She's not even talking!" Happy exclaimed, "She's just flailing her arms with reckless abandon!"

"Did you lose your voice?" Levy asked, standing up from her stool at the bar.

Lucy put both hands to her throat.

"Are you CHOKING?" Mira exclaimed. Immediately, she threw both arms around the blonde, getting ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

Lucy shoved her away, shaking her head vigorously, pointing back at Levy.

"She lost her voice," Levy confirmed, "How, Lu?"

Lucy feigned like she was eating something.

"You ate something," Natsu stated, making everyone else roll their eyes.

"Don't be stupid, Flame-Brain," Gray muttered, "Hey Lucy – did you get clobbered in the voicebox on that mission we were on yesterday?"

Lucy shook her head, making tiny circles with her fingers.

"You cast a spell?" Juvia asked, sitting down beside Gray.

By now, Lucy had the attention of the entire guild, all of them watching her use body language to communicate her problem…and hopefully help her find a solution.

Lucy shook her head, trying to draw the small circles again, then wavy lines. She was getting flustered – and it showed on her face.

"Natsu made you yell too much!" Happy exclaimed, "Probably because he was in your underwear drawer again!"

Lucy shot a glare at Natsu, then shook her head again, pausing to think with her hand cradling her chin.

"Where's Warren?" Erza asked, "Perhaps he can use his telepathy to see what happened to her."

"He's on a mission," Wakaba told her, "Not back for 3 days."

Lucy drew the imaginary small circles again, followed by squiggly lines. She pushed out her hands, then looked expectantly to the dumbfounded guild.

"You…paid someone to take your voice?" Laxus asked slowly.

"You finger-painted a tree?" Cana suggested.

"You were counting stars but you lost track and gave up?" Nab proposed.

"You pressed the wrong buttons on an elevator!" Romeo exclaimed.

"You pointed out several birds flying off in the sunset, then found a baby bird on the ground and nursed it back to health then released it into the sky and pointed out where its' bird family was and then got really excited when it flew away but nobody heard you when you told them what happened so you screamed until you lost your voice!" Droy yelled.

The entire guild stared at him.

"What the fuck did you even just _say_?" Gajeel grunted.

Lucy face-palmed.

"Well, your body language sucks!" Gray told her, "None of us understand."

"I do," Natsu stated, venturing out to the front of the gathered crowd.

Their eyes met as he slowly as he stood a foot away from her. She gave him a grateful smile as he wrapped his arm around her.

"You were star-dressed as Loke," Natsu said, looking straight into her eyes. He was talking only to her, although the entire guild was leaning closer to listen to what he was telling her, "And we'd been on the trail for hours. You were hungry."

Lucy stared at him with wide eyes as she slowly nodded.

"You ate some berries," Natsu continued, "And they were gross, so you threw them away from you."

Lucy nodded vigorously again.

"They were Oocha berries," Natsu exclaimed as Lucy began gesturing wildly in the air.

"Oocha berries!" Wendy repeated, rushing to the infirmary for a book that would tell her the cure.

A few moments later, Lucy let out an audible sigh as she drank the last of her tea.

"Much better!" she lamented, shooting another grateful look to Natsu, who sat on the stool next to her.

"I'm a little confused," Gray stated, gesturing from Natsu to Lucy, "How did you know? None of us came remotely closed to guessing that she ate Oocha berries."

Natsu smiled as Lucy took his hand, squeezing it gently, "It's pretty easy…we have this amazing connection…I can practically _read_ her thoughts."

The two stood up, making their way out of the guild arm-in-arm.

Gray thought back to the gestures that Lucy was making in the air, face-palming as he realized how Natsu had _actually_ known.

"She spelled the word in the air, didn't she?" Mira dead-panned.

Gray didn't respond, his head thudding onto the counter, "I can't believe _Natsu_ figured that out before us."

"Let's be honest," Levy said, joining them. They clunked their beer mugs, "She wanted Natsu to be the one to figure it out anyway."

Erza scoffed, chugging back her beer, "And they think _we're_ oblivious."

* * *

Across town, Natsu was _anything_ but oblivious as Lucy exited the bathroom, wearing a very sheer nightgown.

"Wow," he breathed, his eyes wide.

They'd been dating for months, slowly gearing up for the right moment to tell the rest of the guild. Truthfully, they were having fun just being with each without the nosy guild teasing them and asking questions they weren't ready to answer. It was a godsend that the guild was so clueless.

She grinned, motioning for him to come to her.

"Hush now, Natsu…no more words," she straddled his body, kissing him gently, "From here on in, I only wanna hear your body language."


	5. The Mask

**_A/N I am SO ENJOYING Nalu week! Not only have I been able to stretch my imagination, but I've also had the honour of reading some really incredible Nalu fics from Quite-A-Riot, Grizzly and Wordsaremyspells1331!_**

 ** _This one will pang the sentimental cords. At least they did with me. :D Thanks, everyone, for the reviews, likes, and follows._**

* * *

He was in trouble and he knew it. There were a minimum of 50 soldiers on his tail. He leapt over a bread cart, stunning the business owner, and turned onto the next street.

"By order of the Royal Guard," a soldier yelled, "Cease and desist fleeing! If you do not, we _will_ be forced to take you down."

"I didn't do anything wrong!" Natsu bellowed back.

He came to a halt, glancing wildly at the surround buildings with the army closing in on all sides. He was trapped.

The soldiers had their swords drawn, a cocky grin on the General's face.

"You're telling me you _didn't_ steal the bread?" he demanded.

Natsu's face fell, "Okay, I did – but I did it for a good reason! My sister…she hasn't eaten for days…"

"Hands behind your back," the General told him.

Natsu closed his eyes as the soldiers closed in on him, slowly placing his hands behind his back in the hopes that they wouldn't beat him…simply because they could.

As if on cue, the crack of a whip split the air, drawing all eyes to the top of a nearby roof. Three women stood, poised for a battle. The leader, a blonde, wore a pink low-cut ruffled dress, criss-crossed by a ribbon on the front of her bodice. Her leather boots came to her mid-calf. She wore a large hat with a feather. Natsu sucked a breath in, trying to see her face, but her eyes were masked. Her companions wore similar attire, one in blue, the other in orange.

"Oh crap!" one of the guardsmen yelped, "It's the Fairies!"

"You won't be arresting him today," the blonde warned, "He was only trying to feed his family."

"He _broke the law!"_ the General bellowed, "And you Fairies – you're wanted too. No matter – we'll take you all down!"

The sudden flurry of activity confused Natsu at first. All three women charged, using their various weapons to knock out, but not kill their soldier opponents. The blue-haired woman dressed in the blue attire waved her arms, throwing the men around with…water? She locked them into water bubbles, turning to her next opponents without breaking a sweat. The orange-clad lady was having as much fun as the other woman in blue, spiralling through the crowd as she took out the soldiers one by one. She reached into the air, seemingly writing words like 'squash' and 'bind' with her _fingertip_. She left a trail of subdued men in her wake.

But the one who caught Natsu's eye was the blonde. She moved through the soldiers effortlessly, maintaining eye contact with him as she narrowed the distance between them. Her whip shot out wildly, despite her steady gaze, flipping soldiers like rag dolls onto the ground where her orange-outfitted friend would bind them instantly.

"Natsu!" she exclaimed, looking him up and down. The look in her masked eyes confused him. It was almost like she was resisting the urge to hug him.

He wore tattered clothes with no shoes at all. He was filthy, having had no choice but to sleep in a barn over the past couple months. As the blonde observed his state, Natsu had never found himself wishing for a good bath more. Honestly, he couldn't blame her for not wanting to hug him…although a part of him really wished she would.

"H-How do you know my name?" he stuttered.

She edged closer to him, running a hand down the side of his face, "You don't look like the famed Fire Wizard. Have times fallen so hard?"

She bent down to his ankle, examining the magic-nullifying bracelet.

"Shrimp!" she called, "See what you can do about that, please."

Natsu's eyes were wide as he suddenly realized the battle had ceased. The orange-dressed woman had spelled the word 'Prison', instantly making a large, metal cage. While she bent to examine the ankle bracelet, the woman in blue was working on caging the downed soldiers.

How had they accomplished defeating that many men in such a short time?

"He's had his memory erased," the orange-dressed woman told the blonde, "He doesn't remember."

"We'll work on that," the blonde told her, "For now, just take the bracelet off."

The orange-haired beauty wrote 'break' with her finger, then touched the edge of the bracelet. It broke off into pieces around his foot.

"Who are you?" Natsu asked, his eyes wide as the blonde took his hand, leading him at a break-neck pace down the road. Both blue-haired women followed them, leaving the soldiers behind in the centre of the square in their cage.

"It makes me so sad that you'd forget me so soon," she replied.

Natsu lost track of where they were taking him. They took so many twists and turns, he wasn't sure if they were even in Magnolia anymore. Finally, they came to a clearing. Treehouses lined the treetops with rope bridges connecting as pathways between them. It was a village, he realized, and it was alive with activity. Men, women and children bustled about, seemingly working together.

"Welcome back to Fairy Tail," the blonde whispered, slowing to a walk.

"Fairy Tail," he repeated.

"Some might call us vigilantes," she told him, "but honestly, all we want is for the people to be free."

She led him to a hut on the ground, gesturing for him to enter. Hesitantly, he entered the hut, sitting on the small bed that she'd pointed to.

"I need a bowl with water and a cloth!" she yelled out to nobody in particular.

She bent down to her knees in front of him, once again sliding her hand down his face. She removed her hat, placing it on the bed. Her eyes were a mesmerizing chocolate brown, even through the mask she still wore. They pleaded with him to remember her as she took both his hands and squeezed them tightly.

"We've been looking for you for months," she told him, "And don't worry – we already found Wendy yesterday. She's here and she's safe."

He frowned at the mention of his sister. How did they know about Wendy? How did they know him?

"You still don't remember," she sighed.

He shook his head, intrigued by the way her touch sent shivers down his spine. He knew he must know her…

"Maybe this will help," she said softly.

She cradled both sides of his face, then pressed her lips against his. At first, he was startled, but suddenly he found both arms wrapping themselves around her waist, drawing her closer. The kiss deepened. Natsu's senses were reeling, but something told him this was _right._

She pulled away from him reluctantly, holding his gaze.

"You are Natsu Dragneel," she told him, "of Fairy Tail. You are a renowned fire mage, dedicated to the cause of freeing the citizens of Earthland from the tyranny that is the royal palace. You are strong…and dedicated…and…"

Her voice trailed off as tears edged her eyes, further confusing Natsu. The way she was speaking to him…the familiarity…

"And who are you?" Natsu asked, "The woman behind the mask…the one who is obviously more that just my rescuer of today…"

Their fingers were intertwined. She leaned in, kissing his mouth again slowly.

"I'm Lucy," she said softly, "Your partner…your best friend…and your wife."

She reached behind her head, their bodies close together as she untied the mask. He watched her remove it slowly, flickers of memory starting to race through his mind as her face came into view.

He felt something literally snap inside him - it was like a release as memories flooded back to him. Visions of nighttime escapades shot through him - himself included amongst the masked group of mages.

"I am part of Fairy Tail," he said slowly, watching her eyes as he started to remember, "We're going to rebuild Fiore..."

She nodded, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Faces started flooding his memory. Erza. Gray. Juvia . Levy. Gajeel. But mostly, the nights he spent wrapped up in bed with the blonde in front of him. Their bodies intertwined. Slow, steady movements. Loud, erotic cries. Lying in bed for hours afterward, joking and talking with each other...

"Luce," he whispered. His eyes flickered recognition as he pulled her into a full embrace, "Oh Mavis…"

Lucy dissolved into tears, returning his frantic kisses all over his torso. It had been _months_ since the soldiers had trapped him. Even with no memory and his magic shackled, Natsu had still somehow managed to escape. But it had taken a long time to find him and Wendy.

Natsu grabbed Lucy by both shoulders, melding their mouths together as he lowered her to the bed.

Levy stood at the door with the washing basin Lucy had asked for. A small smile spread against her lips as she watched Natsu and Lucy paw at each other, throwing clothing in every direction. They would need the washing basin, but probably not for a few minutes.

Now would be a good time to leave. She placed the basin on the floor and backed out of the room, closing the door firmly behind her. She gently pushed back the prying eyes gathering at the door, eyeing the crowd that had gathered. Most of Fairy Tail had stopped what they were doing. They all knew their missing mage had been returned to the village, but that he wasn't the same firecracker that he'd been before.

"He's back!" Levy exclaimed, raising her thumb and forefinger into the air.

Fairy Tail repeated the gesture as they burst out into cheers.

Inside the hut, Natsu and Lucy were oblivious to the din. Blankets and pillows were tossed to the floor, landing amongst the large fedora hat and a pile of clothes... and the pink, jewel-encrusted mask.


	6. Tattoo

_**NALU WEEK PROMPT # 6 – TATTOO**_

 _ **This is an Angel of Oops 2 story! The children are little - between 3 and 6, set about 3 months after the orphanage fire.**_

* * *

Wakaba left the booth, a small tear running down his face. He wiped it quickly, hoping nobody would notice. Catching Natsu's eye, he winked and a moment of solidarity passed between the men.

"Natsu Dragneel!" the tattooist called.

"That's me," Natsu stood up.

"Just sit in the chair for a moment. I just need to set up," the tattooist told him, "My name is Selina."

Natsu nodded his greeting, gulping slightly as she laid out the needles. Selina herself had a full arm of tattoos – swirling flowers intermingled with snakes and skulls. Her hair was jet black and she was pierced in more places than Gajeel. Natsu wasn't sure if he could even guess how many she had…but then, maybe it safer not to.

"Do you know what you want?" she asked him, sitting down in the chair next to him. She laid out the two designs approved by the Police Department. Both symbols would commemorate the fire that displaced 12 orphaned children.

"Sting showed me his," Natsu said, "It's a Sabertooth head. I liked the size of it."

She nodded, "He had it in the shape of a police badge."

"I'd like one the same size," Natsu decided, "but I want the other one."

"Are you sure?" she asked, "Here – I'll show it to you."

She picked up the approved commemoration sketch and placed it in front of him.

"That looks like Woodstock from Peanuts," he dead-panned, "How will that remind us of the fire?"

"Those were my thoughts," Selina laughed, "but so far only Rogue and Sting have chosen the Sabertooth head."

"It's not Woodstock," he frowned, looking at it closer, "But I suppose if I could think of it as a bird…it's kind of like a bird on fire. Then it's insanely cool!"

She nodded, "What colour do you want?"

"Red," he said immediately.

"And where do you want it?" she asked.

He took off his shirt, ignoring her intake of breath as she explored his bare chest with her eyes.

"Upper left shoulder please."

She nodded again, preparing the necessary materials.

"I think it's wonderful that the entire Police Department is doing this," she said, "Those kids lost the only home they had."

"People donated willingly," Natsu agreed, "And we're doing other fundraisers to try to get them a new building soon."

"What will happen to the children in the meantime?" she asked.

Natsu shook his head, "I don't know about the rest of them, but my wife and I adopted three and our good friends adopted another."

She caught his eyes, smiling slightly, "That's really awesome. I hope the other kids find homes too."

Natsu nodded, cringing slightly as she began to dig at his skin with the needle. He was guessing the tear in Wakaba's eye was less about the sentimentality of what they were doing today…and perhaps a little more about the experience of receiving a tattoo.

It didn't take long for her to finish her masterpiece, detailing the tattoo with tinges of orange. Natsu glanced down at it, pleased. Selina covered it with gauze and taped it for him, giving him strict instructions on how to care for it.

As he left the room, he glanced at the next client, his mouth dropping.

"Luce?"

Tears glistened in her eyes as she hugged him in greeting.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

She gestured to the children, waiting patiently in the lobby, "They're my kids too, Natsu. Maybe no one will sponsor me to show support for the orphanage…but I can do it for our kids. We've…also made a large donation out of the Heartfilia funds…I hope you don't mind…and all of Fairy Tail is here. We all want the tattoo as well."

He kissed her gently, "That's why I love you so much. You would never let a moment like this pass by without trying to do your part. Where will you get it and what colour?"

"Pink," she winked at him, tousling his hair, "and on my hand."

"Have I ever told you that women with tattoos are freakin' hot?" Natsu asked.

She smiled, leaning into his ear, "Then maybe I'll get a second one after the baby is born...one that only you can see."

She giggled when his eyes bulged, then continued into the little room when Selina was ready for her.

* * *

The next day, the police officers gathered on stage at the town square, posing for a picture that showed all the new tattoos. Fairy Tail joined them in the second picture, each proudly displaying their new tattoos. They had all chosen the same symbol as Natsu. Magnolia citizens came out in droves, donating to the lost orphanage and offering their well wishes to the children who still had no homes. A couple of the children even had interested potential parents discuss fostering with the orphanage caretakers.

But sadly, nobody was interested in the small dog-faced boy or the black-haired boy with the extremely bushy eyebrows. They sat together at the edge of the town square, watching Larcade Dragneel and Sora Redfox with their new families. Gajeel had Sora on top of his shoulders, handing her an ice cream while Levy scolded him because Sora hadn't had lunch yet. Larcade was playing with his new siblings on the grass…not a care in the world.

It baffled them. How did the Police Department think getting tattoos would help them find a home? They'd both been tried with many different homes…and nothing had ever worked out for them before.

That wasn't likely to change because a bunch of people decided to get tattoos.

Natsu glanced over, noting the two small boys looking so forlorn. He opened his mouth to call Lark over and tell him to ask them to play with the others, but Lucy threw herself onto him, making him forget everything but the woman in his arms...and the very hard to miss baby bump pressing into his abdomen.

"Fairy Tail reports that between the telethon, the BBQ, and the publicity from the tattoos, we've _met the goal_ needed for the new building!" she reported, light in her eyes, "Fairy Tail wants to keep going and see if we can raise enough for furnishings too."

He kissed her mouth, feeling the love he had for her burst with pride. He loved her compassion - her drive to better the lives of others. It was what Fairy Tail stood for.

"Lucy!" Cana yelled, "Your phone is ringing!"

"Gotta go!" she grinned, breaking away to her phone along the line of desks facing out to the town square.

"Daddy! Can we have hot dogs?" Aki yelled, gesturing toward the hot dog stand.

"Yeah, baby! Let's see if these boys would like to join us!" he called back, gesturing toward the wall where the two boys had been huddling together. They were gone. He sighed, wishing he'd paid better attention.

Larcade and Aimi flanked him, each grabbing a hand to pull him toward the hot dog stand. Haru jumped excitedly alongside Aki as Rogue and Laki's son, Daisuke, gestured toward the same hot dog stand, pulling his mother's hand gently to joint the other kids.

Natsu's eyes wandered to the phone station, watching his 8 1/2 month pregnant wife field calls. On any side of her, Fairy Tail had thrown themselves into their work, doing what they did best... The Police Department hosted games with Magnolia's kids. He loved his life. He couldn't ask for more. To him, the tattoo on his shoulder was much more symbolic than just the orphanage fire - a worthy cause all on its' own. Everyone he cared about - the adults anyway - had all received the tattoos, binding them together both by their ideals and drive to make humanity better, all while reinforcing their personal bonds. It occurred to Natsu that the tattoos were more symbolic of the family Magnolia's protectors had become.

A family he was proud to call his own.


	7. Intertwined

**_I can't believe we made it through Nalu week! This one, I'm dedicating to Wordsaremyspells...because you're so awesome!_**

 ** _A Reminder that Buck-A-Suck - the 21st and final one-shot - will be posted as a separate story. It'll be worth your time...promise._**

* * *

 ** _NALU WEEK PROMPT #7 – INTERTWINED_**

* * *

"Luthie," he whispered, running his fingers down her torso, "Mmm nyuu are thoooo thexy."

He leaned in from his spooning position, kissing her neck, then pausing to take a quick breath when he found he couldn't breathe.

Lucy tried not to burst out laughing. It would seriously damage his self-esteem. Instead, she rolled over and put some distance between them.

"Natsu…you're sick," she stated.

"I'n not thick!" he protested, "I dever get thick!"

She ran a finger over his pectorals, actually really wishing it was a good idea to let him seduce her…but the fact remained…

"Your nose is stuffed, Baby," she said gently, "You're probably not going to feel well today."

He pouted as he insisted, "I don't get thick. The houth ith quiet…I jutht whanted thome thexy time with ny wife."

She stroked his hair lovingly, "And you'll get it… _when_ you feel better and can't make _me_ sick. I really can't afford to get sick right now. We have a major case at Fairy Tail and it's really important that I'm there this week."

He stuck his lower lip out even further, "Buuht Luuuuthe!"

"BUT nothing!" she insisted, holding a hand up to halt his protests, "I promise…I'll make it up to you. You have a day off today…so use it to rest and feel better. The kids are primarily busy today and won't be home til later. Seriously, Natsu…spend the day in bed and let yourself feel better. And quit pouting at me…if your lip sticks out any further, a bird will poop on it!"

Natsu's eyes opened in surprise at her teasing as she rolled out of bed, heading for the shower. He tried to roll out of bed too, thinking maybe she'd consent to shower sex, but the dizziness hit him full-force. He let out a cry of shock, falling back onto the pillows.

"Are you okay?" she asked, turning.

"Ny thead," he groaned, holding his head on both sides. He was dizzy, the room spinning in circles. He was suddenly aware of a headache too.

She returned to his side at once, helping him back into the bed and covering him up so that he was snug.

"Stay in bed," she told him softly, "I'll get you some Tylenol and some water."

He whimpered as she patted his head, then disappeared to the medicine cabinet. He groaned to himself, wondering why he'd gotten sick. Natsu could count on one hand how many times he'd been sick in his entire life. He'd planned to go to the hardware store today to get supplies to mend the broken fence at the front of their property….and he was hoping to catch up to Gajeel…and have a beer with Sting. This _sucked._

He tried to sit up again, groaning loudly as the dizziness set in immediately. Suddenly, he was disoriented, thunking to the ground in a heap.

"Natsu!?" Lucy exclaimed.

She had the medicine in hand, quickly dropping it and the Tylenol on the dresser to run to help him. She heaved his dead-weighted body back up to the bed and eased him back under the covers.

"I'm not kidding!" she scolded, " _Stay in that bed_!"

"Buht –"

She turned, glaring at him with her best no-nonsense-there's-no-point-in-arguing glare that she often used with the kids when they _really_ made her mad. Natsu cringed. The kids never won against that look either. Satisfied that he would obey and stay put, Lucy headed back to the dresser to retrieve the Tylenol and water.

She handed him the pills, and then the water to wash them down, leaving the pill bottle and a fresh glass of water by his bedside.

"Take more in 4 hours," she instructed as she placed his cell phone on the nightstand as well, "And call me if you need anything."

"Dohn' goh," he begged, "Thtay wiff me an' cudduhl."

His eyes dissolved into his best puppy dog look…the one that _she_ normally couldn't resist.

"As much as I'd love to stay and cuddle," she said softly, once again running her fingers through his hair, "I have to go to work. You'll be fine. Stay in bed and try to get some rest."

He pouted again, but she was already off the bed and out the door.

* * *

Lucy arrived at Fairy Tail in a fairly chipper mood, greeting her colleagues as she sauntered through the door, briefcase in hand.

"How's it going?" Cana greeted, raising her shot glass.

"Not too bad!" Lucy replied with a grin, "Sorry I'm a bit late. Natsu's not feeling good today."

Levy stifled a snicker, "Uh oh."

Everyone turned with surprise when Aries snorted. She was so shy, it wasn't often that she said much at all.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, "It's just that…Loke…when he's sick…he turns into the biggest baby."

The ladies burst out laughing.

"I KNOW, right?" Levy exclaimed, "Gajeel actually has a little bell that he keeps for when he's sick – because he's too weak to call for help!"

"Bacchus passes out for hours," Cana grinned, "Of course, that might have more to do with the fact that he treats himself with straight rum."

"Bickslow hallucinates," Lisanna added as she sat down, "He always calls for his 'babies'. How funny is that?"

"Rogue moans and groans for, like, _hours_ ," Laki sighed, "And the kids vamoose. They can't handle how whiny he gets."

"Loke wants to be pet like a cat," Aries offered. She covered her mouth, her eyes wide, "He always asks me to pet his belly and whines that he's a lion, not a cat."

The room stood still, everyone's mouth gaping at this…odd information. Aries turned bright red.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, "I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that!"

Everybody laughed.

Lucy's cell phone went off. She glanced down at it, her mouth curving into a smile, "Aaaand there he is."

"Don't worry about it," Cana told her, "If you need to go, we can hold down the fort."

The girls snickered, breaking off to their offices for the day.

"Hi Natsu," Lucy greeted as she picked up the phone.

"I'n dyingh, Luthe," he told her, "Ny head ith poundhin."

"You're not dying," she promised him, "You're sick. And the best medicine is to sleep."

He drew in a sharp breath. Lucy wondered if he was holding back tears.

"I'n weeeeeallly mitherable, Luthe."

"I know, Baby," she sympathized, "Having a cold _is_ miserable. Have a nap. You'll feel better soon."

He sniffed again. Now she was sure he was in tears.

"Natsu…do you want me to come home?"

"Pweathe."

"Okay," she said softly, "I'll come home. Just let me tell Cana what's going on."

"Thankoo," he said forlornly.

She stifled back a snicker. The girls had nailed it on the head…men were babies when they had colds.

* * *

10 minutes later, she entered the bedroom, assessing her sleeping sergeant. His eyes were swollen and closed. His nose was red and his skin was pale. She pressed a hand to his forehead, confirming a fever.

Since he'd managed to fall asleep, she went to find some ibuprofen for the fever.

"Luthe," he called just as she was exiting the bedroom.

"How are you doing, Natsu?" she asked, turning to offer him a sympathetic smile.

"C'noo cuddhle wiff me?" he implored, "I jutht needh thoo be cuddhled."

"Will that make you feel better?" she asked.

He nodded, the tears edging his eyes again.

"Okay," she agreed, "but first I'm going to get you some ibuprofen for your fever."

He nodded again, closing his sore eyes with another moan.

She returned, helping him sit up long enough to take the ibuprofen. She put the glass on the end table, then started leaving the room to put the other empty glass in the kitchen.

"Pweathe dhon' leaff me!" he begged as she went to exit the room.

She turned, "I'm just putting the glass away, Natsu."

He shot her his puppy dog look again, "Pweathe."

She smiled, placing the glass on the dresser, then climbed into bed with him, "You just want to be cuddled."

"Nyeah," he stated, reaching for her.

She would definitely get sick now. But he needed her. And she loved him. And hopefully it wouldn't hold her down for long…

She pet his hair as he laid his head on her chest, their legs and their arms intertwining as they settled together.

"I luff yoo, Luthe," he sighed contently, "Yoor the on'y thin' that makth me feel bedder. I c'n thleep now."

"Okay, Natsu," she said contently, "Have a little sleep."

"Dhen when I whake uhp," he stated, drifting off into dreamland, "Mehbee dhen we c'n haff thex."

Lucy giggled, kissing her man's forehead. Even sick, he still had a one-track mind. But she didn't mind being his solution to everything. After all, he was the solution to _her_ everything too.

* * *

 _ **And so ends Nalu week. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. There are some phenomenal stories written out there. Now I'll take some time to read them too! Thanks to Quite-A-Riot for issuing the challenge! Next year, maybe we'll come up with our own prompts. lol**_

 _ **Thanks again as always who read, favourited, and reviewed. You are all amazing.**_

 _ **And thank you to my loyal editor, Wordsaremyspells1331, who, in addition to reading all 21 of my one-shots, wrote 21 one-shots!**_

 _ **Angel of Oops 2 will be posted next weekend!**_

 _ **Till then,**_

 _ **~Shana~**_


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